Improvement in car-couplings



G. B. SALMON.

Car-Couplings.

N0.l55,168. Patented Sept. 22,1874.

Witnesses; lnven tor:

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GEORGE E. SALMON, OF CAMERON, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,168, dated September 22, 1874; application filed July 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEo. BETTS SALMON, of Cameron, in the county of Clinton and in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Oar Couplers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a simple device by which. to enable railway-cars to be readily uncoupled without the brakeman having to go between the cars for that purpose, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to more specifically describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation in section of the same.

A represents the draw-head, which is slotted at top and bottom for the easy passage of the bolt 0. The bolt (J is swung upon the loop B, that extends from the under side of the lifting-lever D. The lever D is pivoted on the standard E, that is secured to the side of the draw-head. The handle of the lever is prevented from lifting too high by the chain F, attached to the draw-head. F F are two guides for the loop B, erected on either side of the slot on top of the draw-head. Only one of these guides is shown in Fig. 2. Grepresents the'ordinary link used in car-couplers. H is a lifting-rod that is to extend down from the top of the car, and is attached to the liftinglever D.

hen the device has been constructed as above, it is operated as follows: When the car is ready to be coupled the bolt 0 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and, as the link G is thrust against it by the car that is holding the link, the bolt 0 swings back and upward upon its pivot-or loop B. As soon as the open part .of the link has been thrust far enough into the draw-head A, the bolt G will, by its own weight, quickly swing back on its pivot or loop B and when the car to which the drawhead A is attached moves forward, the link will catch against the rear of the bolt, and the cars will then be coupled. Should the brakeman be on top of the car, he could very promptly uncouple by simply pulling on the rod H, which would lift the lifting-lever D. Or, should the brakeman be standing on the ground, he could, with the utmost safety, uncouple the cars by standing on one side of the cars, (not between them,) and lifting the handle of the lifting-lever D.

It will thus be seen that my invention is a self-coupler, and as efficient as it is simple.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the pin 0 on loop 13, lever D, standard E, chain F, guides H H, draw-head A, and link G, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony thatI claim the above-described certain new and useful improvements in railway-car couplers I have hereunto signed my name this 9th day of June, 1874.

G. B. SALMON.

Witnesses:

T. G. CLAYTON, E1). L. HOUSE. 

